WHAT: TYPES OF PRAYER

…the time to pray Whatever concerns you may have at this

moment, any moment, that instant is always the time to pray!

Remember, Scripture tells you to “Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” 1 Peter 5:7

Types of Prayers

INTERCESSION Prayers Prayer for someone else.  Selfless,

or self-giving prayer. AFFIRMATION Prayers

When we Affirm what God says in His word, the Bible.

POSITIVE Prayers Filled with Faith.  When we believe

God is bigger than any obstacle. NEGATIVE Prayers

Filled with Fear. Prayer that does not believe God can do it. Many times these prayers have false humility.

LISTENING Prayers When we open our hearts

and minds to hear from God. We need patience, quietness.

MEDITATION Prayers Think deep about something

with total focus. SINGING Prayers

Songs directed towards God can become a form of prayer

TONGUES Prayers Praying to, or in the Holy

Spirit

Types of Prayers The Bible identifies several different types of

prayers we can pray The prayer of faith: James 5:15 And the prayer of

faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

The prayer of agreement: Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

The prayer of consecration: Matthew 26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

How do we approach God? Mistaken

By your own good works – trusting in ourself Eph 2:8-9

Best As an unworthy

sinner pleading for mercy – Ps 67

A.C.T.S.  One model for how we should pray is

identified by the acronym  A.C.T.S.  A: Adoration (Worship)

C: Confession (Of Specific Sins)T: Thanksgiving (Gratitude)S: Supplication (Specific Requests) There is no rigid rules here. God gives

freedom in prayer to flow in & out of these areas as

needed

A = Adoration Is prayer that praises & worships God

Ps 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD Challenges us to praise God w/ whatever means possible –

any place, any time Hallelujah – command & invitation … practice

Hallel (praise) Yah (the Lord) We are all wired to worship. Adoration shifts our focus away from

ourselves (storms) & fixes our eyes on the One who is able Jude 24-25; Eph 3:20-21

Remind God… NOW Who He is to you – Creator Recount what He’s done for you – Saved me from… Recognize His holiness – There is NONE like you Rejoice in His name – I praise you Relinquish control – I surrender to YOU

How often do we stop asking & just start acknowledging God?

C = Confession Is prayer that gets honest about sin – Rom 3:23

This is necessary to stay close to God! We are not ready to serve, ask for much of anything

until we confess & turn (break every chain) God’s Word & Holy Spirit will reveal to your

conscience the ungodly things The Cross of Christ - 1 Jn 1:5-9 READ ALOUD King David – prayer after being confronted about his

adultery w/ Bathsheba & murder of Uriah - Ps 51:1-4… but God …Solomon

Trust & pour out our hearts before Him – Ps 62:8,10 In what do you trust first?

T = Thanksgiving

Is God directed humbly expressed gratitude Thanksgiving highlights what God has done/doing The price of Gratefulness – priceless

… Let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips openly professing his name Heb 13:15

Develop a grateful heart – Phil 4:6-8, Rom 7:25 Ungratefulness – costly

Rom 1:21-25, Rom 7:23-24 We all have something to be grateful for

God is always working through all things (good & bad) Rom 8:28 …all things work – school of hard knocks? How do you see God working in your situation?

S = Supplication

Is asking for something from God – petition or appeal - Matt 7:7-8

Interceding – intervening with a prayer request on behalf of someone else Solomon – 1 Kings 8:33-34 … when Israel has been

defeated because of sin Jesus – Rom 8:34…right hand of the Father ever

interceding for us Holy Spirit – Rom 8:27…the Spirit intercedes for God’s

people according to the will of God When was the last time you did not know how to

pray? How did the Holy Spirit help you?

Ultimately all prayer is for the glory of God

When God appears, is revealed or can be see we get a glimpse of who He is… Holy, Powerful, Loving, Kind… Awesomeness

on display - Exod 16:10 While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud

Exod 33:18-23 READ God’s glory Questions

What does the presence of God mean to you? Would you say that you have experienced the glory of

God… Never, Sometimes, On a regular basis

Do you think you could/should?

What is & isn’t prayer?

Prayer is not Repeating words incoherently (babbling,

vain-glory and vain repetitions) so that God can find out what we need

Jesus tells us …Your Father knows what you need before you ask him – Matt 6:5-15

Question How does hypocrisy affect prayers? Sincerity? If God knows what I need before I ask, then

why do I need to pray?You may as soon find a living man that does not breathe, as a living Christian that does not pray. If prayerless, then graceless – Matthew Henry

Why Pray? So that… That we may see them (our prayers) as He sees them Judge them as selfish & impulsive or selfless &

intentional See if they are in harmony with His will

That we may feel that all other prayers are infinitely minute compared to deliverance from the penalty and the power of the sin The expression of wishes for earthly good or Deliverance from earthly evil

That, conscious of our weakness, we may gain strength for the work and the conflict of life – to walk in communion with the Eternal – 2 Cor 12:9

Why pray

If God does not give his people what they ask, it is because He knows they do not need it, and that it is not for their good

So far is God from being twisted by the length or words of our prayers, that the most powerful intercessions are those which are made with groanings that cannot be uttered – Rom 8:26

Prayer is An expression of our trust in God Praying with/in faith is a vehicle by which our

trust in God can increase! Question – How does prayer build trust in God?

Your memory & God’s ability Praying is humble dependence Prayer communicates that we are genuinely

convinced of God’s wisdom, love, goodness, power… When we pray, we are relating to God through Jesus

Christ – our mediator Heb 10:19; Exo 33:20-23 – Christ is the cleft in the

rock, covering, shield READ ALOUD - Book page 35 Jesus is our mediator…

Prayer is communion w/God to…

Intimately know, love & worship Him Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed by Thy

name Understand & conform our lives to His will &

ways Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done

Access & advance His kingdom, power & glory Give us this day Lead us not into temptation Deliver us Seek access to

kingdom resources

Matthew 6:9-14

All for His glory Prayer is about personal relationship

w/God When it becomes merely about

accessing the provision or protection of God rather that knowing and pleasing the Peron of God, then we are getting off track

When our one goal is to live in relationship w/ Him, He will cause prayer to help us experience His purpose, plan, provision, protection & intent

WHY: THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF PRAYER

GloryThe presence of God as He makes Himself

unmistakably known Weight, to be heavy…the weight of all God is

People experience the glory of God as weight When we become conscious of something greater than ourselves

pressing upon us, crowding and weighing on us, like a heavy spiritual presence

God possesses the full weight of His glory, meaning… He exists eternally as the Father, Son & Holy Spirit He needs nothing else…He is complete fullness, complete

joy Father – Gen 1:1 …In the beginning God created Son – John 1:1-4 …In the beginning was the Word Holy Spirit – 1Cor 2:10-11 …no one comprehends the thoughts

of God except the Spirit of God

Glory Revealed - Abraham

Abraham told to sacrifice Isaac – Gen 22 Irrational command

Isaac, the promised covenant baby of both he & Sarah - Gen 17:21

Question - What is God doing here? God is revealed to Abraham as Jehovah Jireh ~ the

Lord Our ProviderQuestions When have you gone to God in a time of great duress? What was his reply? How does your memory of this make you feel about

God’s ability to take care of your problem now?

Glory RevealedGod makes His glory known progressively in

our lives. With every prayer request, we come to know Him as…

To Glorify God Is to worship

Valuing & honoring Him by giving thanks Praising the attribute He’s just shown & revealed

about Himself Question

How has God revealed Himself to you this week? What was your response to the reveal?

David God revealed Himself as compassionate & a gracious

God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love & truth – Ps 86:15

Response – “give thanks to You, O Lord my God” & to “glorify Your name forever” - Ps 86:12

Tell it – speak of His… Paul - The revelation of God’s grace

“All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God - 2 Cor 4:15

Does God answers prayers? Brag on what He’s done & is doing

It gives Him glory What I really want, Lord is that You receive glory

from my life. Work in my heart & situations, so that You are most glorified

Father , I praise & worship

you as my God. Be Glorified in my life. Search & cleanse me. Forgive me as I forgive others. Thank you for your provisions, protection and faithfulness to me. Teach me to pray. Train me to joyfully bow in worship, to freely confess any and all sins. I pray this for myself and those close to me. All in Your Glory!

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen